Most People Don’t Know How These 10 Towns In Tennessee Got Their Start

Have you ever been curious about how your favorite Tennessee towns got their start? Well, us too. We love these darling spots – the good people, the great food – but how did they come to be? We did the hard work for you – you’re welcome.

Planning for the town of Bristol became in 1852 by Joseph Anderson. It was created based on a plan for railroad convergence and Anderson anticipated the need for a station. Interesting fact? The city was almost named "Paradise."

In 1819, Memphis was founded after the US government bought the land from local Chickasaw Native Americans. The Spanish had built a fort in the area two decades before, but it was quickly abandoned. One of the city founders was future president Andrew Jackson.

Known as the oldest town in the state, Jonesborough is quite proud of its heritage. It was founded seventeen years before Tennessee became a state and continues to celebrate today. It was named after fore Tennessee became a state and while the area was under the jurisdiction of North Carolina. It was named after North Carolina legislator, Willie Jones, while still under Carolina and ended up becoming a hub for the abolitionist movement.

In 1890, the Atlanta, Knoxville, and Northern Railroad was built through the area then known as Upton Station. It was in 1893 that a local doctor was told the name Upton Station was taken (the US Postal Service notified him of the issue), and he renamed the town Vonore. It was a combination of the German words, "von" (of) and "ore", because the local folks believed coal would be a huge industry.

Ah, Oak Ridge. Forever known as a town the atomic bomb built. Selected as the site for a pilot plutonium plant and the uranium enrichment plant, the town was built quickly and utilized to support 30,000 occupants, workers and their families. It wasn't long before the Secret City was the fifth largest city in the state, consuming 1/7 of the electrical power in the WHOLE COUNTRY. Dang, Oak Ridge.

Dandridge was settled in 1783 by European settlers, and it was named after Martha Dandridge Washington - the first First Lady. Have you heard of her? Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto had also spent time in the area, however did not contribute to the foundation of the town.

According to legend, it was one of the first white men traveling through the area that named Bell Buckle. It is said that he found a cowbell and a buckle carved on a tree (strange), and no one is quite sure how they got there, but the nearby creek was named in honor of the carvings and the small town followed suit.